This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(a) of Canadian Patent Application No. 3,012,619, filed Jul. 27, 2018, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates generally to trailer hitches, and more particularly to multi-attachment trailer hitches having multiple hitch connectors or accessories of varying size or type.

In the prior art, there has been recognized a need for trailer hitches having multiple hitch connectors of varying size or type to enable towing of differently equipped trailers by the same towing vehicle. Prior patent references disclosing multi-connector hitches having multiple hitch balls of varying diameter include Canadian Patent Applications CA1216316 and CA2279021, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,872,213, 2,911,233, 4,456,279, 4,729,571, 5,044,652, 5,322,313, 5,351,982, 5,560,630, 5,857,693, 5,915,714, 6,315,316, 6,497,428, 7,347,440, 8,366,133 and USD415725.

However, a majority of the forgoing reference disclose cantilevered support of a bulky multi-ball structure from the rear of the vehicle, which can create a tripping hazard for passers-by or a puncture risk in the event of a rear-end vehicle collision. Omission of such hazards thus requires removal of the multi-ball structure from the vehicle between towing operations, representing a burden for the vehicle operator.

Accordingly, there remains room improvement in multi-connector hitch design, and particularly for a solution that addresses the above shortcoming of the prior art.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a trailer hitch comprising:

a shank for coupling with a receiver tube of a towing vehicle, said shank having a front end for insertion to said receiver tube and a rear end situated opposite said front end;

first and second hitch attachments of different size or type from one another and movably carried on the shank by one or more supports;

wherein:

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a trailer hitch comprising:

a shank for coupling with a receiver tube of a towing vehicle, said shank having a front end for insertion to said receiver tube and a rear end situated opposite said front end;

first and second hitch attachments of different size or type from one another and movably carried on the shank by one or more supports;

wherein:

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a trailer hitch comprising:

a shank for coupling with a receiver tube of a towing vehicle, said shank having a front end for insertion to said receiver tube and a rear end situated opposite said front end;

first and second hitch attachments of different size or type from one another and movably carried on the shank by one or more supports;

wherein:

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a trailer hitch comprising a shank for coupling with a receiver tube of a towing vehicle, said shank having a front end for insertion to said receiver tube and a rear end situated opposite said front end;

first and second hitch attachments of different size or type from one another and movably carried on the shank by one or more supports;

wherein:

According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a trailer hitch comprising:

a shank for coupling with a receiver tube of a towing vehicle, said shank having a front end for insertion to said receiver tube and a rear end situated opposite said front end;

first and second hitch attachments of different size or type from one another and movably carried on the shank by one or more supports;

wherein:

According to a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided a trailer hitch comprising: there is provided a multi-attachment trailer hitch comprising:

a shank for coupling with a receiver tube of a towing vehicle, said shank having a front end for insertion to said receiver tube and a rear end situated opposite said front end;

first and second supports movably coupled to the shank for selective swiveling or rotation relative thereto about an upright axis residing at or near proximal ends of said first and second supports; and

first and second hitch attachments of different size or type from one another and respectively mounted on the first and second supports at or near distal ends thereof opposite the proximal ends;

each support being swingable about the upright axis between a deployed position reaching rearwardly from the shank to place the respective hitch attachment in a working position situated rearwardly beyond the rear end of the shank, and a retracted position extending less rearwardly to place the respective hitch attachment in a storage position situated more forwardly than the working position;

wherein the supports are swingable relative to one another about the upright axis to vary an angular space between said supports about said upright axis between a first state placing one support in the deployed position and one support in the retracted position, and a second state placing both supports in the retracted position.

FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a multi-attachment trailer hitch 10 according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention. The hitch 10 features a shank 12, a first hitch connector 14 mounted on a first support 16, a second hitch connector 18 mounted on a second support 20, and a pivot pin 22 pivotally coupling both supports 16, 18 to the shank 12. The shank 12 has a front end 12 a and an opposing rear end 12 b spaced horizontally therefrom on a longitudinal axis L. In reference planes lying normal to said longitudinal axis L, the shank has a rectangular cross-sectional shape over a majority of its length from the front end 12 a thereof toward the opposing rear end 12 b. This rectangular cross-section is appropriately sized for selective insertion of the front end 12 a of the shank 12 into a conventional hitch receiver of a towing vehicle. A lock pin bore 24 passes transversely through the rectangular portion of the shank 12 in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal L at an intermediate location situated part way between the front and rear ends of the shank. Th lock pin bore 24 aligns with a matching lock pin bore of the hitch receiver to enable pinned locking of the shank 12 to the hitch receiver when inserted therein.

In the illustrated embodiment, each hitch connector 14, 18 is a hitch ball of different diameter from the another, thereby denoting two hitch connectors of different size, but it will be appreciated that either hitch connector may be of a type other than a hitch ball (e.g. pintle hitch, D-ring, hook, etc.), and that the two hitch connectors may differ in type from one another. As yet another alternative, one of the hitch connectors may be substituted for a hitch accessory (e.g. hitch step for easier access to a cargo bed, cargo hold, overhead cargo door, roof rack, etc. of a towing vehicle). The term hitch attachment is therefore used herein to encompass both hitch connectors, and hitch accessories of any type whose size and shape wouldn't interfere with the described operation of the hitch, as outlined in more detail herein below.

The pivot pin 22 lies on a vertically upright pivot axis P that perpendicularly intersects the longitudinal axis L near the rear end 12 b of the shank 12. The pivot pin 22 provides a pivotal connection of both supports 16, 20 to the shank 12, whereby each support can be swung horizontally about this upright pivot axis P relative to the shank 12. More specifically, each support 16, 20 can be swung through at least a ninety-degree arc about the pivot axis P between a deployed position reaching rearwardly from the rear end 12 b of the shank 12 at a vertical mid-plane containing both the longitudinal axis L and the upright pivot axis P, and a retracted position reaching laterally outward from the shank 12 at a vertical cross-plane that perpendicularly intersects the mid-plane at the upright pivot axis P.

In the retracted position, each support 16, 20 and its respective hitch attachment 14, 18 thus reside in more forwardly disposed relation to the shank 12 than in the deployed position of the support. In the illustrated embodiment, no part of the support 16, 20 or its respective hitch attachment 14, 18 protrudes rearwardly beyond the rear end 12 b of the shank 12 in the retracted position of the support. On the other hand, in the deployed position, the rearward reach of the support 16, 20 from the shank 12 is at its maximum so as to place the respective hitch attachment 14, 18 as far rearward as possible. In use of the hitch on a tow vehicle, this places the hitch attachment 14, 18 in an accessible position rearward of the tow vehicle's rear bumper. Placement of one support 16, 20 in its retracted position allows the other support to optionally be swung out into its deployed position for use, as shown in FIG. 2. On the other hand, placement of both supports 16, 20 in their retracted positions, as shown in FIG. 3, eliminates or minimizes the rearward reach of the overall hitch 10 from the vehicle's hitch receiver in order or minimize or eliminate the rearward reach of the hitch 10 from the rear bumper of the vehicle. With both supports retracted when use of the hitch is not required, a trip or puncture hazard at the rear of the vehicle is thus avoided.

In the illustrated embodiment, each support 16, 20 is a pedestal arm having a bifurcated upper connection portion 26 with parallel upper and lower forks that reach horizontally over and under the shank 12, respectively. Each fork 26 a, 26 b, 26 c, 26 d has a pin aperture 28 that passes vertically therethrough on the pivot axis P and aligns with a matching pin hole 30 passing vertically through the shank 12 on the pivot axis P near the rear end 12 b of the shank.

The forks 26 a, 26 b of the first support 16 have lesser vertical spacing therebetween than the forks 26 c, 26 d of the second support 20. More specifically the vertical spacing between the forks 26 a, 26 b of the first support 16 just slightly exceeds the vertical height of the shank 12 at the rear end 12 b and pin hole 30 thereof. On the other hand, the vertical spacing between the forks 26 c, 26 d of the second support 20 slightly exceeds a height measurement of the first support's bifurcated connection portion from the underside of the lower fork 26 b thereof to the topside of the upper fork 26 a thereof. Accordingly, the upper and lower forks 26 a, 26 b of the first support 16 reside immediately above and below the shank 12, respectively, while the upper and lower forks 26 c, 26 d of the second support 20 reside respectively above and below the upper and lower forks 26 a, 26 b of the first support 16. The bifurcated connection portion of the first support 16 is thus received inside the bifurcated connection portion of the second support 20 between the forks 26 c, 26 d thereof.

The pivot pin 22 has an upper head 22 a that resides above the upper fork 26 c of the second support 20, and a lower stem 22 b that depends downwardly form the upper head 22 a through the pin apertures 28 of all four support forks 26 a, 26 b, 26 c, 26 d and the aligned pin hole 30 of the shank. As shown in FIG. 5, the pivot pin 22 preferably includes a cross-bore 22 c therein near the bottom end thereof below the lowermost support fork 26 d to receive a cotter pin or the like (not shown), to prevent upward withdrawal of the pivot pin 22. Via their bifurcated connection portions 26, the supports 16, 20 are penetrated by the pivot pin 22 at different elevations from one another, whereby the two supports 16, 20 are pivotally connected to the shank 12 at different elevations relative thereto. When either support is swung into its retracted position, it doesn't interfere with movement of the other support between its deployed and retracted positions.

At a distance further radially outward from the pivot axis P than the bifurcated connection portion 26, each support features a planar mounting portion 32 that resides in a horizontal plane at a lower elevation than both forks of the bifurcated connection portion 26. The connection and mounting portions 26, 32 of each support define opposing proximal and distal ends thereof, adjacent which the pivot pin 22 and respective hitch attachment reside. A mounting hole 34 passes vertically through the mounting portion 32 of each support 16, 20 near the distal end thereof to accommodate bolted mounting of the respective hitch attachment 14, 18 thereto through said mounting hole. The mounting portion 32 thus defines a support pedestal on which the respective hitch attachment 14, 18 is carried at an elevation spaced below the underside of the shank 12 at a radial distance outward therefrom. An offset portion 36 of each support 16, 20 lies intermediately of the proximal and distal ends thereof and angles obliquely downward and radially outward from the bifurcated upper connection portion 26 in order interconnect the connection and mounting portions 26, 32 at an inclined angle therebetween.

The rear end 12 b of the shank is defined by an apex of a semi-cylindrical end wall of the shank 12 that spans arcuately around the pivot axis P and is bisected by the vertical mid-plane at said apex. Here, the rear end 12 b of the shank is penetrated by a deployed-position lock-hole 38 opening into the shank 12 on the longitudinal axis thereof. At ninety degrees around the semi-cylindrical end wall from this deployed-position lock-hole 38, a first retracted-position lock-hole 40 a penetrates one side of the shank 12 in the transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L. At 90-degrees around the semi-cylindrical end wall from the deployed-position lock-hole 38 and 180-degrees around the semi-cylindrical end wall from the first retracted-position lock-hole 40 a, a second retracted-position lock-hole 40 b penetrates the other side of the shank 12 in the transverse direction. The axes of the two retracted-position lock-holes are coincident with one another, and perpendicularly intersect the longitudinal axis L on which the deployed-position lock-hole 38 resides.

Each support 16, 20 features a respective lock pin assembly 41 mounted thereon at the offset portion 36 thereof, where a lock pin barrel 42 has a lock pin bore 44 horizontally penetrating the offset portion 36 at an oblique angle thereto on a lock pin axis that perpendicularly intersects the pivot axis P in the same horizontal plane as the lock holes 38, 40 a, 40 b of the shank 12. A lock pin 46 has an outer end 46 a disposed outside the lock pin bore 44 at the outer side of the support's oblique portion 36 that faces away from the shank 12, where a pull knob 48 is affixed to this outer end of the lock pin 46. The lock pin bore 44 penetrates through the opposing inner side of the oblique portion 36 of the support into the space between the forks of the bifurcated connection portion 26 thereof. Here, the lock pin bore 44 is counterbored to create an enlarged area 44 a of the bore 44 in which a compression spring 50 is coiled around the lock pin 46. An outer end of the spring 50 abuts against an annular stop shoulder where the bore 44 diameter steps down from the enlarged area 44 a. An opposing inner end of the spring 50 abuts against a retaining washer 52 that is disposed around the lock pin 46 at a distance from said stop shoulder. A circlip 54 is engaged in a circumferential groove 56 of the lock pin 46 on a side of the retaining washer 52 opposite the spring 50. The circlip 54 prevents the washer 52 and spring 50 from sliding off the inner end of the lock pin 46 when the lock pin assembly 41 is first installed, but before the supports 16, 20 are pinned to the shank 12.

The spring 50 biases the lock pin 46 into a locking position jutting sufficiently far into the inter-fork space of the bifurcated connection portion 26 of the support that that the inner end of the lock pin 46 will automatically engage into the deployed-position lock-hole 38 under swinging of the support into the deployed position on the shank, and likewise automatically engage into the retracted-position lock-hole 40 a, 40 b on a respective side of the shank 12 when the support is swung into its retracted position. Accordingly, each support is self-locking in both the deployed position and the retracted position thereof. To release the support from either such position, the pull knob 48 on the outer end the respective lock pin 46 is pulled outwardly away from the shank 12 against the bias force of the compression spring 50, thus withdrawing the inner end of the lock pin 46 from the given lock pin hole 38, 40 a, 40 b to enable swinging of the support into its other position.

FIG. 2 shows the first support 16 in its retracted position reaching laterally out to a first side of the shank 12, while the second support 20 is in the deployed position reaching longitudinally rearward from the shank 12 to place the second hitch connector 18 rearwardly of the tow vehicle's rear bumper to enable connection of a trailer thereto. This is one of two possible working states in which one of the two hitch attachments is in a working position situated rearwardly of the shank 12 and the vehicle bumper in an accessible position for use. Swinging the second support 20 90-degrees around the pivot axis P out of the deployed position in a direction away from the first support 16, once enabled by pulling of the respective lock pin 46 via its pull knob 48, moves the second support 20 into its retracted position, as shown in FIG. 3. The hitch is now in a fully-retracted full-storage state where both supports 16, 20 are withdrawn into their laterally reaching retracted positions residing at 180-degrees to one another on opposite sides of the shank 12. In this state, neither support reaches rearwardly from the shank, and thus has zero or minimal rearward protrusion past the rear bumper of the vehicle so as to eliminate or minimize a trip or puncture hazard. Both hitch attachments 14, 18 are thus safely stowed, and automatically locked, in their storage positions below the tow vehicle, or at least in close proximity to the rear bumper thereof. To deploy the first support 16, its respective lock pin 46 is released by pulling of its respective knob 48, and the first support 16 is swung about the pivot axis P by 90-degrees out of its retracted position toward the already-retracted second support. The hitch 10 is thus operable between a fully-retracted full-storage state and two different deployment states, in each of which a respective one of the two hitch attachments 14, 18 is deployed, while the other is stored.

While the illustrated embodiment employs two supports each carrying a respective hitch attachment, an alternate embodiment may employ a single support that reaches outwardly from both sides of the shank in a retracted position to likewise carry the two hitch attachments in storage positions on opposite sides of the shank in the fully-retracted full-storage state of the hitch. In such an embodiment, the two hitch attachments would reside at a fixed angular spacing from one another around the pivot axis, and both hitch attachments would reside at the mid-plane when one is deployed rearwardly of the hitch, in which instance the other attachment resides diametrically opposite the first attachment across the pivot axis at a location below the hitch receiver. Such embodiments would require that the mounting portions of the shared support are at low enough elevation that both hitch attachments clear the underside of the shank and hitch receiver, and would also require a different locking mechanism. On such locking mechanism could employ two locking pins on opposite sides of the pivot axis at an underside of the support, each being spring-biased upwardly into engagement with a lock pin hole in the underside of the shank at a location forwardly of the pivot pin hole 30. In another embodiment, instead of two supports independently swingable relative to one another about the pivot axis defined by a shared pivot pin, two supports having respective pivotal connections to the shank may be employed. However, the reduced bill of materials for a shared pivot configuration like that of the illustrated embodiment is likely preferable.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.